Aug 22, 2013
Next week we’ll be working on getting your fall wardrobe essentials in place. So right now, let’s talk about your closet.
Question: Do you swap out your wardrobe seasonally? Or do you keep everything in your closet year-round?
I rotate the clothing in my closet each season. Let me tell you why, it forces me to clean it once a quarter and it makes getting dressed easier by reducing the clutter of items that aren’t weather appropriate. I can also more accurately gauge where any “holes” are in my wardrobe needs and what needs to be replaced or filled in.
A few years back, I started the quarterly closet cleanse, not just in my closet but all three of our kids’ too. It’s become such a valuable exercise that I even devoted a whole chapter to it in my book Get Pretty, Kick Butt!
With cooler days on the horizon, now’s the time to start thinking about how you’d like to organize your closet for fall. Today, I’m going to share some tips from chapter four of my book, The Closet Cleanse.
The Closet Cleanse Method
STEP 1: Find three medium to large boxes and label them CASH, STASH and TRASH. If you don’t have boxes on hand, trash bags will do.
In each box, you will categorize the following:
CASH – These are items that can be sold or donated. They are in good condition, but you haven’t worn them in a year or more and will probably never wear them again.
TRASH – Anything stained, worn out or damaged beyond repair.
STASH – This is the stuff you want to keep. Put items in here for now and we’ll organize them later.
STEP 2: Pull every item out of your closet one by one, including shoes, handbags and scarves or other accessories. Find a category for each item and place it in its respective box.
But how do I know what to STASH?
That’s entirely up to you, but here’s a good litmus test of questions:
- Have I worn it in the past year?
- Is it a classic piece that will stay in style?
- Is it still in good condition?
- Can I pair it up in more than one way?
- Do I feel good when I wear this?
- Does it fit?
If you answered “no” to one or more of the questions above, it’s probably not a keeper. However, you can create a fourth box of items for storage if there are things you just can’t bear to part with yet.
STEP 3: Once you’re done categorizing what you have, it’s time to organize what’s left in your STASH box.
Most people have a preferred method of organizing their clothing. Mine is hanging it in groups of like items (short-sleeved shirts, cardigans, blouses, denim, dress pants, skirts, dresses, etc.) Others prefer to sort by color. It really doesn’t matter as long as it makes sense to you and you know where to find everything.
It’s Your Turn: Carve out an afternoon for your own closet cleanse this week. Report back and let me know how it goes!
For more organization, time management, self-care, fashion and beauty tips, check out my book Get Pretty, Kick Butt! The Moms’ Guide to Looking Your Best and Getting More Done.
Available now on Kindle.
Aug 15, 2013
Our family doesn’t do New Year’s resolutions but instead we do Back to School goals. For some reason, I just feel more motivated at this time of the year. Maybe it’s the leisurely pace of summer that leads to the craving of getting back into a routine. Or it could be the fall weather that gives me more energy and enthusiasm. Whatever it is, I know that I’m way more successful with achieving goals in the fall.
Our kids also set goals for the school year. A few weeks before school starts, we have a family meeting. I hand out slips of paper to the kids and ask each of them to write down three goals for the school year – one related to academics, one for sports or activities and one of their choice.
Here’s what our middle daughter’s looked like last year.
Academics
1. Get all A’s all year.
Sports
2. Get all of my level 6 skills before gymnastics competition season.
Free Choice
3. Make new friends.
At mid-year, over Christmas break, we have a check-in to revisit their goals. The kids then have the option of adding more goals or changing existing ones, especially if they’ve already accomplished them.
MOM’S BACK TO SCHOOL GOALS
At the same time, I start working on my list of goals. I try to focus on key areas in my life – Organization, Fitness, Fashion/Beauty, Food and Family Time. Each category gets a manageable amount of goals, usually 1-3. Here’s what my goal list might look like:
Organization
1. Clean out the pantry and buy new baskets/organizers.
2. Transition closet over to fall clothes.
Fitness
1. Walk the dog in the morning at least four days a week.
2. Sign up for a new yoga class, two days a week.
Food
1. Find new crock pot recipes to try.
Fashion
1. Create a fall shopping list of needs/wants.
Beauty
1. Add low lights to hair.
2. Try berry lip and nail colors.
Family Time
1. Come up with a list of activities for family fun night.
I try to keep my list manageable so I don’t feel overwhelmed by it. It’s also full of things that I love and enjoy, it’s not meant to be something that I dread. At mid-year, I also do a check-in and add/remove items as needed.
It’s Your Turn: What goals do you have for the coming school year? Try to carve out 15 to 30 minutes today to write them down.
Get even more tips on time management, organization, fashion and beauty in my new book, Get Pretty, Kick Butt!
Available now on Kindle.
May 2, 2013
I’m having a major color crush on navy and coral home decor lately. There’s something about this color combo that is just so chic and so now. My goal is to have an all white base for every room in my home so that I can change out my accessories on a whim to match my color crush of the moment. Totally doable, right?
GET THE LOOK
It’s Your Turn: Do you have a color combo you’ve been crushing on lately?
[Photo Credits: 1/2/3/4/5/6]
Getting my pretty on with Six Sisters Stuff.
Mar 15, 2013
TGIF and TGI Payday Pretty!
It’s the day of the week where we get to take a little out of the weekly budget and do something pretty for ourselves. And what could be prettier than flowers?
In this post a few weeks back, I confessed to owning just a single piece of floral clothing. This shirt.
You all were quick to set me straight and tell me it’s time to get on the floral bandwagon (or would that be a float?).
Either way, you’re right.
Floral fashion is definitely having a moment this spring which means there’s no better time for me to stop and smell (or buy) the roses, right? So, I did some virtual shopping this week to find some affordable floral inspiration.
Here are some fresh floral pieces that I’d love to add to my spring wardrobe.
1. Call of the Wildflower iPhone Case/2. Mural Floral Sweatshirt/3. Head, Shoulders, Keys and Toes Scarf/4. Wit & Wisdom Floral Denim (On Sale!)/5. Oh No Floral Heels (On Sale!)/6. Let Down Your Garden Peplum
It’s Your Turn: What’s your favorite way to wear florals? Do you have any floral fashion on your spring shopping list?
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